Had a shoot last night. The IRB Sevens party... don't worry about the sport side of it, most of the fans don't, its a big street partly full of boozed people in wacky costumes.
Mostly its good natured, a lot of drunks screaming "Hi Mum" down the lens... their mum would be so proud. But this year I had couple of firsts.
A production crew filming a reality show about the hospital tried to ban me from filming the paramedics.
"Mate I'm a news crew, this is a public street. You can't stop me from shooting."
The 12 year old with a clipboard and a fluro vest tried to tell me they had an agreement with the Hospital comm's unit. I told him that was nice but while they might be able to tell the paramedics not to talk to me they couldn't stop me shooting them in a public place.
He was stumped as nothing in all his long moments of experience prepared him for that.

The other fist was a guy trying to steal the battery of the back of the camera while I was filming.
How did he think that was going to work out?
I could feel the bumping at the back of my camera as I tried to get a shot. Turned as asked the guy not to touch the camera. He gave me the "what who me?" look.
Then later I feel the bumping again, I bring the camera forward and spin round, its this guy again, he steps back, knocks into another drunk and drops the battery he has just got of the back of my camera.
Why?
At what point did he think this is a good idea?
Then on the way back to my car I had another run in with a reality show crew following the Police.
When the clipboard waving kid came up to me I said.
"News crew. Public place. Get over it."

__________________All artists are prepared to suffer for their work, but why are so few prepared to learn to draw? :BANKSY

"Cops" was shooting in town a couple years ago. I remember one instance where a coworker was held back from a scene for a few minutes, which almost never happens unless there is good reason. Turns out the Cops shooter was there too, that being the reason.

__________________
When your 15 minutes of fame are coming, make sure you hold your camera in landscape mode.

I was at a shooting scene in SE Dallas and had a run in with a crew from The First 48. It was raining and they didn't want me to shoot the scene. All I said was "your crap airs in 8 months or so, mine airs in 45 min so get the hell out of my way!"

I remember when "Cops" was in town, I was working overnights, after seeing them in action I copied their dress. I wore a bullet proof vest, and a bandanna. A couple of nights, I was able to walk right into scenes before they realized I was local and not "Cops". They all thought I was with someone else. No harm no foul.